confronting the naked facts of male immodesty, one kneecap at a time
Tinesha and Hannah present this investigative report to shed some light on this dark, dark situation.
Recently, a male BYU-Idaho student uploaded the following image to the internet:
He is so right to point out that dark, erogenous groove. In fact, Tinesha and I are about to prove that this rampant immodesty problem is possibly even more devastating among the male population.
See Exhibit A: Location- BYU, Provo Utah, beside the Harold B. Lee Library building. (Isn’t this against the Honor Code??)
Tinesha explains: “By dressing this way, he obviously doesn’t realize that his body is temple. His body is more precious than the most exquisite temple on earth. Imagine a beautiful temple. It is pure and gleaming and white. Now, imagine there is paint smeared all over that temple. The beauty of the temple is lost. Dress represents what’s important to us, and this young man is an example of someone who doesn’t care what’s really important — his gleaming temple. He has chosen to smear his body with graffiti by wearing that outfit. “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God”?!?!?”
Church leaders have attempted many times before to stress to us the extreme importance of modesty:
People who dress immodestly are stupid, end of story.
Exhibit B: Location- BYU, Provo Utah, outside the Ernest L. Wilkinson Student Center.
Tinesha reports: “After viewing this set of knees, I felt my virtue slipping away. My parents had always told me to “beware of the dark erotic groove on legs,” but how could I when these young men are willingly taking my virtue away? How can I keep my thoughts clean when they dress this way? It makes it really hard to be able to talk and have a conversation with a young man when they are dressed so immodestly because I am distracted by their immodesty (do you see the knees hanging out??)
This guy obviously does not understand what it means to be modest. He just got dressed that morning and didn’t even bother thinking that by dressing this way, he was making me — a virtuous young women who cannot control my thoughts or actions — feel uncomfortable.”
Let’s hear from a reader of the New Era:
An event some years ago changed my attitude toward modesty. As I got ready to go to a Mutual activity, I put on some short shorts; it never occurred to me that they were inappropriate. The activities planned for that Tuesday included having the missionaries give us some practical advice about missionary work. One of the last empty seats was next to me. For a brief moment the sister missionaries began to argue, as discreetly as they could, over who had to sit next to me. Though they never said so specifically, I understood they were uneasy because of the way I was dressed.
At that moment, notwithstanding my embarrassment, I began to understand what it meant to be modest. I realized that I was making virtuous young women feel uncomfortable—and that I could also be making unvirtuous women feel too comfortable (if you catch my drift). I began to better understand what type of person I wanted to be with and, more important, what type of person I wanted to be. From that moment on, I was not only prepared for the changes I was about to make, but I looked forward to making them.
-Edward R. Douche, Virgin Utah
Exhibit C: Location- BYU, Provo Utah, outside the Harris Fine Arts Center
Hannah: “The second I saw this boy’s legs, I felt an absence of the Spirit. I was confused, but then I realized it’s because he clearly does not understand that his body is a temple. Why else would he show such blatant disrespect for it by wearing provocative clothing?? I want to marry a man who is modest ‘at all times, in all things, and in all places’- NOT just when it’s convenient for him. This boy is saying ‘I want to call attention to myself and show off my curvy kneecaps.’ His shorts are so immodest that he is essentially walking pornography in this photo.”
Another New Era reader had this to say:
One possibility for promoting modesty among young men is a panel discussion with the young women. This approach drew together the young people of our ward in serious consideration of this gospel principle.
Some of the laurels we invited to participate were less than enthusiastic at first because they did not want to offend the young men who would be their audience. To help set the young women at ease, we met beforehand to talk about what they could say about modesty and how to present their ideas properly.
We felt the Spirit during the panel discussion. The young men joined in the discussion and listened closely to what the young women had to say. One of the panel members told young men, “Could we start by not seeing any immodesty at Church meetings?” The young men responded very positively to the advice from their friends.-John Priss, Bliss Idaho
Exhibit D: Location- Shanghai, China. Immodesty is everywhere, folks.
Our foreign correspondent reports: “I don’t know what’s the worst part of being in a Godless country – not being able to share the gospel with the people, or not being able to simply take the subway without being bombarded by offensive clothing.”
Aren’t you glad we have modesty lessons? Otherwise we’d find ourselves without any direction at times like in this Mormon Ad:
If she were to wear this dress, I’m pretty sure people would think she was advertising herself as a prostitute.
Exhibit E: Location- South of BYU campus, around 600-700 North, 400 East.
Hannah explains: “When I look at this boy, all I can think about is the message he is trying to send. He clearly is not trying to aim high- he is seeing how close to the line he can get. I don’t think I want to marry a boy like that. I want to marry someone who doesn’t try to toe the line. But clearly, he is sending a message that he doesn’t believe in playing it safe and just wearing modest clothing- he just wants to live on that dangerous edge. And also he just wants to be a whore.”
But this isn’t just a problem for BYU students- apparently, BYU officials are oblivious to this problem as well! Check out this photo from BYU’s official Facebook page:
I never thought I would post porn on this blog, but I am doing it for the sake of raising awareness!
In conclusion:
General Authorities have explained that, “Our clothing is more than just covering for our bodies; it reflects who we are and what we want to be, both here in mortality and in the eternities that will follow.” This is why we are allowed to judge people based on what they are wearing (it’s not racism, because it’s about clothes, not skin). We know this to be a true principle because it works. Just read these testimonials- I mean testimonies:
“I did not understand the concept of modesty before I was a member of the Church. Within a few months of my baptism, I learned that a piece of clothing would not make me more handsome—rather, true handsomeness comes from within. But wearing something immodest will destroy that handsomeness like a plucked flower or a licked cupcake, so I gotta watch out.”
-Leroy Samuelson, Moroni Utah
“Many do not realize that tight clothing draws attention to the anatomy, which distracts from the purpose of education, business, leadership, or worship. If I can see the curvature of your body, I will assume you are attempting to distract me with your bodacious temple.”
-ShayLynnae Richards, Mesa AZ
“Before I was a member, I was a total skank- sometimes, I wore shirts without sleeves. But now that I understand how holy my body is, I know not to put evil thoughts into other people’s heads. Thanks, Mormons!”
-Nephi Nibley, Rexburg Idaho
EDITED TO ADD:
Dutiful readers have brought it to our attention that this problem has existed from the dawn of time, or at least since January 13th, 1970 when hard-hitting reporters from the Daily Universe published this:
Please consider writing in to the Daily Universe and encourage them to return to these days of modesty policing and intense scrutiny of dress standards. The men really need it!!
Young Mormon Feminists 
135 Responses to “confronting the naked facts of male immodesty, one kneecap at a time”
I am so PROUD of the guy who posted that original photo online! I have long been annoyed when females arouse my uncontrollable sexual emotions with their knees, and I’ve been looking for a way to make them all stop. I will now begin stalking female modesty violators with my camera and posting their crude behavior online. THAT should solve everything!
I feel this photo is most appropriate for this discussion:
http://cheezburger.com/5115743232
Dat ankle!
Love the post!!
I am so amused! Great post! Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about the ridiculous dress standards for us Mormon ladies, so this post has pretty much perfect timing. It’s always bugged me how much Mormons stress modesty for the women, but they never say anything about the men. Seriously. I would always try to bring it up when we would talk about it in lessons and what not, but I never really got a satisfactory reply. I might get a comment about how guys shouldn’t wear sleeveless shirts or something, but that was pretty rare. And it seems kinda silly that we put such emphasis on sleeves. Seriously, shoulders aren’t that arousing.
I am a male Mormon and I have always found it offensive (since I was 12), how immodest some male members of the church dress. I’ve looked for long shorts that cover well passed the knees and I finally found them. We both (sisters and brothers) in the church should live the standards set forth by our prophet and the first presidency. We male members are not exempt!
haha, male members.
As a dude, I get really turned on by girl’s faces. Like really turned on. Seeing girl’s faces gives me dirty thoughts.
I just wish that pretty girls would be considerate of my feelings and cover up their faces. Please? Thank you.
i get aroused when i see women, they just need top stay indoors, and mens legs disgust me, we should chop off all the mens legs
There are far too many excuses being made by or for the woman/men too who dress “immodestly” or otherwise against the guidlines of the BYU honor code. Excuses largely surround the rhetoric that simply saying they are immodest is perpetuating a rape culture. Not so, you are simply making excuses. No sexual deviancy is necessary (passive or aggressive) for someone to be dressed immodestly (or inappropriatly) for any said event, occasion, or being. Wether that is enrollment in BYU (or any high school/college), in a public space, at a place of business, in church etc. The vitrol in your responses is the same as someone saying that women should dress modestly as not to sexually arouse others. You avoid the issue that they are not taking responsibilty of themselves to dress modestly for the BYU standard.
Immodesty is not necessarily sexual affect or provocation, so move on from that point. Someone can be immodest because thier dress is not considered proper, showing impudence or insolence with dress not appropriate for the enviroment in which they are present, not because of some perceived “effect” of sexual enticement.
That being said, I think there is a great deal of modest dress that is in violation of the BYU dress code. But I do however think that many at BYU dress immodestly. Not because it is sexual in nature, but because they are not dressed appropriatly for an institution of education or church.
Okay, I laughed my head off over the “And also he just wants to be a whore.” And also the “porn” picture for awareness sake. HILARIOUS!
Omg, this is the best thing I have read all week. Nailed it on BYU culture. 5 stars.
Finally something seriously wonderful about the “modesty” issue with men. Excellent! And I was at the Y in 1970! I wore blue jeans so tight you could read the year on the face of the nickel in my pocket. But the most immodest thing I ever wore was the BYU issued mens swimsuit at the Richards building swimming pool.
Hi, thanks for sharing.
For me its a bit hard to understand the conpect of baring all on your wedding day. You have saved your skin all your life for one man. When you display it all at your wedding, your husband is not just seeing it, hundreds of other people are as well. Skin is very distracting for guys and I would like my wedding to be Christ centered. Wearing a seductive looking gown would take away from Christ. If God provides someone for me to marry I probably will look very long for a dress that covers the, shoulders, front, and back. It could be a hard search by I would want to stand unembarrassedly in front of the pastor, my family, and friends. Some day I would show my children wedding photos. How would you explain modesty to your daughter when you yourself have images wearing a immodest dress? Until the marriage is consummated the bride is still one of purity and innocence. Brides who are showing off their stunning bodies in a way that meant only for their husbands it always seems to me they don’t have a pure or elegant way about them. After the wedding is over though well that is another story
That’s cool. And I imagine most feminists are cool with that, too. As long as you don’t judge somebody who dresses differently than you for their wedding.
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Funniest website ever, now… Off to watch porn im staring in
Hhaha! Talking about male modesty sounds so funny because we never hear about it in this context! This reminds me of my 1st year in college at BYUH. I was walking away from class and I had just put my backpack on and my shirt got stuck under my backpack lifting it up a little. An elderly missionary approached me and made me feel like scum. I couldn’t understand why she couldn’t have politely told me that my shirt was stuck on my backpack. I bet if I were a male she would have responded differently. Maybe not, but can’t imagine her telling a male that it was disrespectful to his body and those around him, and that he shouldn’t be at the school if he didn’t want to obey the honor code (to have his shirt caught on his backpack???) haha.
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Hope you don’t mind if my clothing choice is to walk around naked.
I found Edward R. Douche’s experience the most poignant.
Is this a joke? My god, you can just smell the sexual repression.
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BYU is a bunch of fucking idiots self righteous fools without any life experience.
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See here is the deal… if the school you go to has a set code, that applies both to men and women the you are right to call out violators of bother sexes. If you go to a private religious school that has a dress code that follows the tenets of their faith… either respect their code…. or go to school somewhere else. It’s pretty simply really.
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You don’t know the Gospel, so you wouldn’t be able to share it.